Young, masked protesters raised ISIS and Pakistani flags after Friday prayers in Srinagar. This was the first time that ISIS flags were raised in the city this month.

After Friday prayers, a protest rally was carried out by young, masked men hoisting flags of Pakistan and ISIS outside Jamia masjid in the old city. Clashes broke out between security personnel and the protesters. Police stated that they had started an investigation.

“Yes, a flag was hoisted by some youth inside the premises of Jamia Masjid and we are checking the video footage to identify which flag it was,” said SSP Srinagar Amit Kumar. “The youth who waved the flag immediately left the spot. We have registered an FIR and are investigating.”

The protest had been called at the behest of Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Geelani, to condemn the killing of medical employee and Hurriyat member Altaf Ahmed Shaikh by unidentified men in North Kashmir Sopore. Meanwhile, Pakistan flags were also hoisted during a protest rally in North Kashmir’s Kupwara area on Friday.

It is not the first time that ISIS flags have been seen in the city. “Last year, there were five instances when we saw the flags (IS) on display at different places, on four occasions in Srinagar and one occasion at Shopian,” General Officer Commanding (GoC), 15 Corps, Lt Gen. Subrata Saha had said.